I don't have a lot of faith in this move and I'm not counting on Mike Neal being there when the season opens.It seems like the Packers are grasping at straws trying to find an opposite for Mathews.

He's gonna most likely backup Matthews and Perry. I'm actually pretty confident in Neals ability. The guy has always be athletic for a 3-4 DE. Now he's at an acceptable 275 which I am fine with at OLB. I bet he could surprise with his coverage too. I think if he can translate to the position we'll have some depth at OLB, that after the draft we thought we didn't have. He just needs to be healthy and he could be dynamic.

Imagine Matthews, Perry, Neal, and Jones on the field at the same time. Woo, wow that sounds a lot better than years past.

He's gonna most likely backup Matthews and Perry. I'm actually pretty confident in Neals ability. The guy has always be athletic for a 3-4 DE. Now he's at an acceptable 275 which I am fine with at OLB. I bet he could surprise with his coverage too. I think if he can translate to the position we'll have some depth at OLB, that after the draft we thought we didn't have. He just needs to be healthy and he could be dynamic.

Imagine Matthews, Perry, Neal, and Jones on the field at the same time. Woo, wow that sounds a lot better than years past.

I remember after the Packers drafted him, I went back and watched his combine video of the DL... I thought he looked like an over sized throwback LB who would be great against the run and questionible in coverage more so than a DT, which he played in college.

And honestly I was calling for them to put Neal at 3-4 OLB at times in 2011, the OLB other than Matthews and Perry have looked pretty bad to me... other than Zombo in 2010 but he got worse after his rookie seasn.

I find it very interesting that the Packers late round OLB draft picks seem to keep getting cut as rookies, while they keep picking up UDFA OLB which play well as rookies and then seem to take a step back in the years after that. I'm just wondering why that is.

It would be nice if Neal functioned well as a LB. Given his past experience he would then be able to provide depth at both LB and DL. He might not end up being great at either but it would be valuable to have a solid player to sub in and give CMIII, Perry, and the DL a breather.

It would be nice if Neal functioned well as a LB. Given his past experience he would then be able to provide depth at both LB and DL. He might not end up being great at either but it would be valuable to have a solid player to sub in and give CMIII, Perry, and the DL a breather.

Also there were rumors about them going to a 3-3 dime package which I haven't heard about them doing in training camp, so the rumor could be false ...

Neal should be moved to the 3rd outside linebacker spot to make room to keep Jolly. If all these guys stay healthy, we just might have one mean ass front seven for a change. That should coincide well with all the ballhawks we have in the secondary. Now if we can just get 100% effort out of Raji's fat ass, the D could be dangerous again.

Neal should be moved to the 3rd outside linebacker spot to make room to keep Jolly. If all these guys stay healthy, we just might have one mean ass front seven for a change. That should coincide well with all the ballhawks we have in the secondary. Now if we can just get 100% effort out of Raji's fat ass, the D could be dangerous again.

I'd like to see them make this move with Mike Daniels.

Dude's already an undersized DL. Plus his health is far more reliable.

Also there were rumors about them going to a 3-3 dime package which I haven't heard about them doing in training camp, so the rumor could be false ...

But a pass rush passage of

DL: Daniels, Raji, Jones

LB: Perry, Matthews, Neal

should be a good pass rush unit ... at least on paper.

Will this group be able to stop things up the middle, though? It doesn't matter if the edges can do their thing to the nth degree if the middle allows the quarterback to step up and run/throw dink passes up the middle.

I'm less worried about their ability to get outside pressure from people other than Matthews than I am about their ability to keep the middle unavailable consistently.

If we get the Raji of late 2010, it'll be fine. But will we get that Raji or the other one, the one that only needs the attention of one OL?

Will this group be able to stop things up the middle, though? It doesn't matter if the edges can do their thing to the nth degree if the middle allows the quarterback to step up and run/throw dink passes up the middle.

I'm less worried about their ability to get outside pressure from people other than Matthews than I am about their ability to keep the middle unavailable consistently.

If we get the Raji of late 2010, it'll be fine. But will we get that Raji or the other one, the one that only needs the attention of one OL?

I don't know about anyone else, but I'm hoping for Jolly to have a Comeback-Player-of-the-Year-type year.

Will this group be able to stop things up the middle, though? It doesn't matter if the edges can do their thing to the nth degree if the middle allows the quarterback to step up and run/throw dink passes up the middle.

I'm less worried about their ability to get outside pressure from people other than Matthews than I am about their ability to keep the middle unavailable consistently.

If we get the Raji of late 2010, it'll be fine. But will we get that Raji or the other one, the one that only needs the attention of one OL?

I meant that group for 3rd and long, where you expect them to pass the ball more than run it.

But it would be interesting to see Pickett in the middle of that when teams are more likely to run it.

I think Raji will be fine. Last year there was no supporting cast on the line. The coaches are on record saying he had a good year last year. So I'm guessing he was double and triple teamed a lot because the only other player they had to worry about was Clay. Opponents didn't have to worry about anyone else on the DL. Hopefully Jones, Jolly and Daniels can change that. But you are correct, we need to be strong up the middle both on the run and passing plays. Also this is Raji's contract year so there should be motivation from that.

I think Raji will be fine. Last year there was no supporting cast on the line. The coaches are on record saying he had a good year last year. So I'm guessing he was double and triple teamed a lot because the only other player they had to worry about was Clay. Opponents didn't have to worry about anyone else on the DL. Hopefully Jones, Jolly and Daniels can change that. But you are correct, we need to be strong up the middle both on the run and passing plays. Also this is Raji's contract year so there should be motivation from that.

PackerTraxx, I do believe the additions of Datone Jones, Josh Boyd and Johnny Jolly will transform the DL entirely, and will augment the performances of both Raji and Pickett. We're going to see much better line play on D this year. Where Neal fits in there, I don't know. But, I'm sure he'll be used more as a situational pass rusher if he's on the line.

I'm really intrigued by Neal working with the LBs. This could be really good.

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